Improvement in harvesters



G. E. CHENOWETH.

Harvester.

Nol 26,091. Patented Nov# l5, 1859.

` d y N. PETERS. Phawnmngwpher. wmmgwn. ucA a UNITED STATES GEORGE E. GHENOWETH, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN HARVESTERS.v

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 26,09, dated November 15, 1859.

To all whom it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. OHENO- WETH, of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented an Improved Mode of Hanging the Cutter-Bar of Harvesters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a correct description of the same, reference being had to the laccompanying drawings,in which- Figure 1 is a plan or top view,and Fig. 2is a side elevation, ofthe machine. Fig. 3 is an end View of the frame and bar from the rear of the marhine.

The nature of my invention consists in hanging the cutter-bar to the main frame in such a manner that the bar can be folded into a line parallel, or nearly so, to the line of draft and hung upon the aXle of the inside wheel, or be allowed to trail behind the machine, in the manner hereinafter more particularly described. The folding of the cutterbar is found in practice to be a matter of so much convenience in the transportation of the machine from place to place, in passing through gates and narrow lanes, and over rough roads, that many plans have been` devised by inventors to accomplish it. One of the earliest of these was` that of hinging it to the frame in such a way that it could be folded into an upright position. This was liable to the objection of making the machine topheavy and very apt to upset. Another plan placed the cutter-bar across the machine, upon the top of the main frame, and at right angles to the line of draft. In a third machine the bar is turned, after being lifted, so as to lie in between the wheels, on top of the main frame and in the line of draft. These latter modes are objectionable because they do not distribute the weight advantageously between the wheels. The outside, or ground Wheeh7 as it is termed, is usuallymueh heav-- ier than the inside one, by reason of lits carrying the cogs, cams, or other devices by which the cutters are driven. By my arrangement this dierence of weight is much lessened, if not wholly counteracted, and the draft rendered more even and easy. The folding also is done by one motion, and can easily be performed by one person without assistance.

In the drawings the same part is marked in all the figures by the saine letter.

A denotes the main frame; B, the outside wheel; C, the inside wheel; D, the axle of wheel C; E, the cutter-bar; F, the fork by which the bar is attached to the frame; G,

l cross -head to which fork F is hinged; H, chain, and K hook by which the bar is hung t0 the axle of wheel G.

The cross-head Gis pivoted to the main frame, so as to swivel freely. The fork F being hinged to its ends, the two form a universal joint, allowing the necessary freedom of motion to the cutter-bar, which may either trail on the ground behind the machine, in the line of the inside wheel, or be folded forward and hung to the axle of that wheel by the hook and chain, as shown. There is a hole in the bar to receive thehook K. One advantage of this arrangement is the great convenience with which the folding can be done, only one hand being required to effect it, there being no necessity to li:t the bar and platform over the wheel. A further advantage is that the platform reiirlins attached to the bar when folded to this convenient position, which is not the case in the only other machine in which the bar is folded to the wheel, the bar in that case being folded backward and retaining its original plane. The guards, moreover, by my arrangement, being pointed downward and slightly inward, are out of the way of doing or receiving injury.

Having thus described my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not claim folding the cutter-bar across the frame at right angles to the line of draft; nor do I claim folding it between the wheels in or nearly in the line of draft. Neither do I claim folding the bar s0 as to rest upon any portion of the main frame. I do not claim broadly folding the bar up to the side of the wheel and supporting it by attachment to the end of the axle-tree; but

I claim- The described arrangement and combination ofthe linger-bar and main frame, whereby the bar can be folded forward to the side of the machine, with its front downward, so that the platform can remain attached to the bar and occupy a vertical plane therewith when folded to this' position, all as described, and represented in the foregoing specification and the accompanying drawings.

The above specification signed and witnessed this 12th day of September, A. D. 1859.

GEO. E. GHENOWETH.

Witnesses:

CHAs. F. STANSBURY, EDM. F. BROWN. 

